Prepared for the Times, Part 32 Rick Joyner : MorningStar Ministries

Prepared for the Times, Part 32 Rick Joyner : MorningStar Ministries

I Wonder Why, Even When I Know

I wonder why people are so often drawn to darkness rather than light.

I wonder why people would rather read and commiserate with someone else's pain and unforgiveness with no answers, than read the hope-filled testimony of someone who has found forgiveness and healing in God and offers the same to them.

I wonder why Christians have taken to writing horror novels, supposedly in the "Christian" genre.  I wonder why Christians read them, comparing them to Stephen King, and think it's OK. 

I wonder why people choose fear over faith, even when they call themselves people of faith.

I wonder why people choose art with no meaning, or art with a dark meaning rather than art with life in it.

I wonder why people choose to serve dead gods rather than the living Christ.

I wonder why people trust themselves when they can't trust anyone else or God.

I wonder why I sometimes do things that don't fit who I am.

I wonder, even though I already know.

Pirated Music

I was unhappy to discover that songs on my music playlist were disappearing.  My friends' music from Morningstar was no longer available at all.  This was alarming to me, so I did some research into Playlist.com.  Apparently, lots of the tracks on there are pirated, and there has possibly been some legal action against the company.  I guess I should have done my research first-- it was never quite clear so I shouldn't have used it. (They give you links to the source for each track, but I don't like to risk clicking on unknown links; they were putting the responsibility on the consumers, who of course, are just not going to pay attention.)  Well, sorry about that.  I knew better.  I have deleted the playlists from my blogs and have deleted my Playlist account. I would much rather pay for licensing than infringe on others rights, and I hope I can find a reliable and legal source for online play.  I still enjoy Pandora in spite of the fact you're never quite sure what will show up on your station.  At least it's legal.

Prayer Storm

This morning, the Lord led me to a great website with Jim Goll.  If you don't know him, he's a wonderful minister who focuses on intercession.  I've read his book, The Lost Art of Intercession, and will probably reread it now.  It will really "turn your wick up" as my pastor used to say. 
Prayer Storm website

Jesus is interceding for us 24/7.  If we want to be part of what He's doing, intercession is a great way to do that.  It's the foundation for any other type of ministry-- really, it should always be the first thing we do.  Intercession is also a way to minister to the Lord (I received this understanding by revelation from the Lord, so you'll have to research it out for yourself). 

International House of Prayer is another ministry that holds a 24-hour worship and prayer vigil.  The Moravian prayer watch is the model for these ministries, but as Goll points out in one of his videos, this type of ministry was happening back in Davidic times. 

There are quite a few videos on this site, and I watched one before posting this ("The Day of the Watch of the Lord Has Come").  Jim Goll's very inspiring, and a great person from whom to learn intercession.

Global Day of Prayer

I didn't get to this website until today, but it's not too late to begin to participate in what looks to be a great initiative for the Body of Christ to join together in prayer.  Please check out this website and consider being a part.
Global Day of Prayer Website

And for my friends in the Jacksonville area, the specific info is here:
First Coast Global Day of Prayer

These websites contain preparations and prayers we can pray in unity with other believers from around the world.  There really is a strong anointing on this, which you can feel when you visit the websites.  I hope you will add your prayer to the prayers going up around the world. 
I certainly will.

A Touch From God

I've been getting The Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin by Bill and Marsha Burns for a couple of years now, at least, directly to my email. "Small Straws in a Soft Wind" by Marsha Burns is wonderful, and so are the words from Bill Burns.   I can't count how many times those messages from the Spirit of God have been exactly what I needed at the moment.  Here's a link so you can check them out.

Faith Tabernacle Website

Cool Presentation and The Next Overused Word

I'm quite impressed by the video "news" presentation called "Who Knew?"
http://whoknew.news.yahoo.com/?vid=19847128

The visuals are cute and interesting, and the information is creatively presented. Whoever writes these does a great job! I like the humorous approach and also how historical backgrounds and connections between things are referenced. I've learned things every time I watch it. Informative and entertaining.

But I'm really getting tired of the word "gaffe"! Wow, I've seen it on the internet every day for weeks. Is this just Yahoo!News, or is everybody in America caught up in catching the latest "blunder", "oops" & "trip-up" of anyone in the public eye? This is an attitude I want to avoid like the plague. Pride comes before a fall, and I don't want to be the next one to wear the "wrong" outfit in public and have a candid shot of me posted on Flickr ;)

P.S. Perhaps we can blame the creators of Wallace and Grommit, "The Wrong Trousers" for the fashion/etiquette-police mentality. ;)

A Better Version of The Psalm 3 Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BW5K9qqkRc

Will 'The Dawn Treader' Float? | Movies

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Two Women in the Social Networks

I've been thinking a lot about the book of Proverbs' picture of two women crying out in the streets, at the gates, and in the highest places of the city.  Wisdom and Foolishness.  You can see these two "women" being very active in the social networks and the ecommerce marketplace, everywhere something is happening.  The Scriptures describe their opposing platforms, and they are both very influencial. 

I'd like to do some art depicting this, but it is so dynamic, I don't know where to start.  Anyway, I thought you might enjoy keeping your eyes open for these two "women".  Who is gaining ground?  Which one speaks through us in the marketplace?  Are we doing what is needed to take the high places for Christ?

Fixing My Blog Backgrounds

Good morning, peeps!

It's time for me to do my online spring cleaning (we'll get to the house later, oh, and the deck-- ugh!).  I am fixing my backgrounds to make them more readable.  My husband, Bob, has been complaining about the distractions for a long time.  Actually, since I first put them up!  At first, I was oblivious to it, but it's actually starting to bother me now too.  So, here goes.

Mainly, I'm trying to make just the scrolling part plainer, and get the annoying graphics from flopping all over the words-- like this overgrown rose!  Over it goes!!  It's some work, but not that bad, so I've just been lazy.  It's time to do it.

If you have any suggestions, complaints, or reasonable advice, please post it in the comments, or mail me on Facebook or at painting4jesus@yahoo.com
Speak now or forever hold your peace!  (Just kidding! You can tell me later, but I may not respond-- or you'll have to wait til next spring!)

Lots of love!
Karen

Update:
OK, this is a newer version, cleaned up.  There is still a little bit of design behind the words.  Am I paranoid of a blank space?  Oh, maybe a little.  Is it distracting to you when you try to read?  I can't fix the header image to make it fit the border, even though it's supposed to auto fit.  Any help?  And the image I use for the background is the right size when I upload it to Flickr, but it seems to shrink when I put it here, and the edges are tiled a bit (you can only see this with a very large screen like mine 1900 X 1200 px.  Don't know how to fix that either.

OOps!  Silly me!  My screen resolution is 1929 X 1200.  That could be the problem!  I told you I wasn't good at numbers ;)

Everybody Needs Friends

Today I am feeling very grateful for my friends, old and new.  Friends who are willing to help me out of a ditch.  Or tell me what I need to hear, not just what I want to hear.  They don't expect me to be perfect, but they want me to be an overcomer.  Thank you, friends, for being truthful, real,  and encouraging.

You may birth something and be all excited about it.  I've experienced that, and it's great.  It's hard work, but it is worth it.  But the work isn't over when a baby is born.  I'm having to defend my babies-- things the Lord has birthed-- from a mean and deceitful enemy who certainly doesn't want anything to exist that glorifies God. 

When I am being assaulted by the devil day after day, I need my friends.  Sure, I need the Lord, I always need the Lord.  But I can't be an island,  because nobody survives that way.  I need people who will pray for me, and people who will encourage me.  Otherwise, I can get confused with thoughts that try to make me think I am a failure before I've really begun.  Some of those thoughts come from my natural temperament that is filled with weaknesses.  I need to be reminded that God is strong in my weakness.  Some thoughts come from the devil as he hurls lies at my mind to get me to quit.  I need to hear the truth of God. 

If you have ever been under emotional and spiritual assault, you will know what I mean.  I am part of the Body of Christ, and so are you-- and Jesus is the Head.  Please be willing to speak His Words to me when I need them.  I thank all my friends who are willing to do that.  For although I put out a lot, and hear from the Lord, that doesn't make me a hero.  I am still a vulnerable human being.  I need friends, faithful spiritual friends, just like everybody else.

You Can't Stop Delivering A Baby Once Labor Begins

Hello, friends!  I'm not doing much on my blogs right now, and the title explains why!  I'm "having a baby"!  No, not a baby baby.  A book!  I'm finishing a project which has really gone quickly.  But there is still a lot of work to do.  This is a childrens' "chapter book" (it seems people use this term to differentiate it from a "picture book"), for elementary school readers.  I don't think I'm qualified to give an exact age range, as it depends on the child and their reading level.  I have left some "big" words in to help develop thinking skills and encourage building a vocabulary.  The book will have a Glossary at the end.  This is one of the things that feels like "work" to me, compared to just writing a story.  It's things like this that make me wish I could afford an assistant.  Maybe someday!

My husband's been a great help in reading, editing and making great suggestions.  He is also helping me with the research when needed.  At this point, we are going for publisher status.  Reason being, it's easy!  All you have to do is buy ten ISBNs and that isn't so expensive as you might think.  That gives us the benefit of being listed by the big distributor in the industry, with books available in the warehouse for the big sellers such as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.  I think that's awesome.

One of the things that bothers me is this phrase going around: "shameless self-promotion"!  To me, this goes hand-in-hand with a really strong leaning in the USA towards socialism, and even communism.  The attitude seems to be that "selling is wrong" and "if you're rich, you owe me some."  Well, I'm wondering then why anyone buys anything!  That is total hypocrisy if you ask me.
I could reeeeaaaally go on, but let me get off my soapbox.

I'm not out to get rich, but if I happen to get that way while I'm doing God's will, then it's for the Kingdom.  How could anyone send money to Haiti, for example, if there was no one with any riches?  I would rather bring some miracles over there anyway-- that is heavenly riches I think, and I'd rather have that.  But God's given me a desire, maybe even a burden, to write for children, and adults too eventually.  How will they be able to read what the Lord gave me if I don't get it printed and distributed?  How will anyone know there's a book if I don't tell them?  There are too many people waiting around to "be discovered"!  That really is an attitude of entitlement.  I have heard the Lord speak very plainly that I am to WORK it!  Take what I've got and do the work to get it to who needs it and wants it.  And since there are opportunities available to do it "indie" style, I opt for that: it's quickest, most lucrative, and it gives the Lord the most freedom to take it as far as He wants. 

So, if you think I'm shameless about my self-promotion (and it really isn't about myself, because I couldn't do the things I do without the Lord's inspiration and constant help), maybe I am.  Shameless that is.  Because I don't need to be ashamed of something that isn't wrong.  Social guilt is not true guilt-- I learned that in psychology class!  I'll promote God and what He's doing any day, even if I happen to be part of what He's doing. 

A word of encouragement for you:
If you've got something in you, start doing it.  Don't give up when it gets rough.  When you get an inspiration, let it incubate and grow.  Protect it, nurture it.  Don't abort it with doubt and neglect.  And when it's time to go into labor, be willing to drop everything else and push that baby out.  Don't give up when you get tired.  Go to the Lord for strength.  He will give you what you need to carry through.  And then, when your baby's born, clean it up, wrap it up and keep it safe and secure.  Watch over it and feed and until it's grown, and you can let it out into the world to do its work.

A New Blog and A New Group

I got inspired to start a new devotional as I read my One Year Bible.  I started a little bit late, but that's OK!  I tend to get bogged down trying to commit to something too extensive to do on a day-by-by basis, but this is something I absolutely know I can accomplish.  A new group is now in place on Facebook if you're interested in participating.  I've opted to repeat my own insights here on Blogger for those who aren't into all the "hub-bub"!

I hope you will come along with me and read the wonderful, living, life-giving Word.  The One Year Bible is a plan and format I have enjoyed for many years.  If you don't prefer it, that's alright, just get into the Word of God.  I have discovered, though, that this particular plan brings pieces of the Scriptures together in such a great way!  I'd call it "serendipitous" except that I know God knows what He's doing, and He had it all in His mind already.  I really enjoy the way the Scriptures flow together, enhance each other, reveal each other: the Word illuminating the Word.  Try it and see!

New Life for a New Year

It has certainly been a while since I've posted anything here!  "Life happens" as they say.  The things we've dealt with in the last year haven't much felt like life, though!  Grieving the passing of a dear friend and pastor, fighting through weeks and weeks of snotty viruses, and watching my faithful husband struggle to maintain and grow a business in a changing economy-- all of these have felt more like death than life.  But one thing I know, and that is that "all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes."  That includes me, and you too, I hope!

We all get pruned now and again, by the Gardener!  It hurts, of course, but afterward we can see the growth and reap the fruit.  I hope my time away from blogging will prove to be just that, and that what I post in all my different pages this year will touch people where they need it, how they need it.  I pray that all those touches will have the grace of God in them.

Be blessed this year!  Make close fellowship with the Lord the highest priority.  Maybe this will be the decade that will see the return of Christ to reign.  Let's pray fervently "Thy Kingdom Come"!